Leonard



(Ng Model.) L. APPLETON."

j l DividingiScale. 1,519,239,691. l l. atented April 5,-'1831 .fil

N PETERS, PMDTo-UTHOGHAPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

- unit of measure adopted.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONAED APPLETON, or EEECKNOCK CRESCENT, COUNTY or MIDDLESEX,

ENGLAND. i

DlVlDlNG-SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 239,691, dated April 5, 18.81.

'Application tiled October 16, 1880. (No model.)

or curved, rigid or flexible, whereby such.

measures are rendered capable Ot indicating at a glance and Without any calculation the exact center of any given object, space, or dimension, or any distance, Whether equal or otherwise, from opposite sides ot' such center. I attain these objects by marking or dividing one edge or side ot' the rule or tape with lines or marks indicating inches, feet, yards, or other given measures, reading, as in the usual manner, from one end to the other ot' the rule or measure, While the Opposite edge or side is marked or divided in halt-meastires-namely, in half-inches, halt-feet, or half-yards, and so on, as the case may be-Or according to the r[he side whichindicates the halfmeasures is marked in the middle or center with zero (0) or any equivalent mark, and the halt' divisions or measures are numbered successively from the said center mark to the rightand 4left thereof. supposing the particular measure employed be thirtysix inches in length, one side or edge will be marked or divided into seventy-two halt-inches, reading thirty-six halt-inches from the center to the right and left thereof.

The accompanying drawing represents, as an example, a straight rule divided 4accordin g to my invention.

c isthe rule or measure, one edge, b, ot' which is divided into equal spaces, with lines or marks indicating inches', feet, yards, or other given units ci, lineal measure, Or fractions thereof, reading, as shown in the drawing, from one end to the other of the rule or measure. As an example, I have adopted in my draw-ing the inch as my unit of measure. The opposite face ot' the rule or the opposite edge, o, of the same face is divided into equal parts, each part being one-half thelength of the divisions marked on the edge b-that is `to say, they represent half -inches, (or frac- Thus,

tious,) half-feet, (or fractions,) half-yards, (or fractions,) and so on.

0 is the mark which indicates the middle or longitudinal center of the rule or measure, and the said halt-divisions are numbered successively from the said central mark to the right and lei't thereof, as shown in my draW- 6o ing.

In using my improved measure for the purpose ot' finding at a glance the exact middle or center ot' any given space or object which, ivhen measured by the divided edge b ot the rule. gives, say, ten inches and three-quarters over all, it is simply requisite to place either of the half-divisions on the edge 0 marked 101% on one side or end of the said space or object, when the mark zero (0) on the measure 7o will indicate the exact position of therequireil center.

The. hercinbcforedescribed improved measures may be constructed of any of the materials from which lineal measures have hitherto been manufactured-such, for example, as Wood, metal, linen, paper, or textile t'abric, or from any other material-Oi" substance suitable for the purpose-and may be adapted for the smallest otlice Work as well as for larger op- 8o erations in the iield.

1t is obvious that scales for Onethird, onetifth, or any otheriraction may be made in the same way; also, thatitis not necessary in their construction to employ the inch, l'oot, or 85 any otherknown and recognized unitoflengtli, but that any arbitrary equal divisions may be employed, the essential character ot' the invention only requiring that the divisions on the' two subordinate scales shall be exact fractions 9o of those iu the principal scale.

A scale or lineal measure consisting of a series ot' equal graduations numbered consecutively from end to end, in combination with l tivo series of grad nations, each ot which is onehalf the length ot' one ofthe former, the latter being numbered, respectively, to the right aiid left from the middle ofthe scale, substantially i as and for the purpose set forth.

LEONARD APPLETON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. FEOs'r,

355 TValcot Square, Kemzingtoa, e. E. GEOEGEWBEIGETWELL, Y Roel/ Villa, Acre Lome, Brixton. 

